Nerita E. "Rita" Groy

Rita was the daughter of the late Paul V. and Evelyn D. Peiffer. She graduated in 1953 from Lebanon High School where she proudly marched ahead of the L.H.S. Marching Band carrying the U.S. Flag. She went to nursing school and graduated from the Reading Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. On August 4, 1956 she married her high school sweetheart Richard K. Ward. They moved to Newville, PA where Richard was a high school teacher and football coach and Rita a nurse at the Carlisle Hospital. They had two sons: Michael Ward and John Ward. Richard became a General Contractor and Rita became a public-school nurse with the Lebanon City School District. Rita earned her B.S. degree attending Shippensburg University and Millersville University and graduated with a B.S. in Public School Nursing. She went on to earn her M.S. degree and became the head nurse for the Lebanon City School District until her retirement. She was a great asset to the Lebanon community volunteering her nursing skills at several civic organizations and events. At her home in Cornwall, you would often find her walking her many miles per day, in a Zumba class, or checking residents' blood pressure at the community coffee klatch. Richard passed away in 1972, and in 1976 Rita married Andrew "Bosh" Groy and lived happily until 1988 when Bosh passed away. Rita enjoyed being with her many friends and remained active until heart disease slowed her down and the terrible disease of dementia followed. She lived the remainder of her life at Moravian Manor in Lititz where she was given the very best of care. Remaining family includes son Michael (Sue) Ward, grandchildren Blair Ward and Brianne Ward, step-grandchildren Collin Backus, Sean Backus, Erica (Backus) Jackson; and son John (Barbara) Ward; granddaughter Victoria (Ward) Gaul; and great grandson Gabriel Patrick Gaul; step-son Scott (Margie) Groy and her sister Barbara Peiffer Palmer of Lititz, PA. Memorial services will be held Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 11AM from Kreamer Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., 618 E. Main St. Annville. Inurnment will be private. A visitation will be held from 10AM until the time of her service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Salem Lutheran Church, 119 N. 8th St. Lebanon, PA 17046.